Polk County Living
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • November 30, 2016 9A
ENGAGEMENTS
MI TOWN
Hoekstre-Villa
Tomorrow is the first day
of December, and as we say
goodbye to the month of
November and all the good
— and not so wonderful —
things that happened over
the past 30 days, let’s try to
put the angst and craziness
of the recent election sea-
son in the garbage can
along with the turkey car-
cass from Thanksgiving. It’s
time to focus on the up-
coming holiday season and
take a moment to think
about brightening our dark
winter days and evenings
with Christmas caroling
and tree lightings and con-
certs.
—
Mother Nature is perhaps
a bit confused about the
season, with camellia buds
bursting forth and gazanias
still blooming in our flower
beds. There’s been a lot of
snow in the mountains and
P ATTY
T AYLOR
D UTCHER
Columnist
the passes, which made for
some more than interesting
travel experiences for all
who traveled over the river
and through the woods for
family gatherings this past
weekend.
—
Thank you to Western
Oregon University students,
faculty and staff members
who collected and donated
food that filled 74 large gro-
cery bags for the Ella Cur-
ran Food Bank. Because of
these efforts, 200 local fam-
ilies were provided with
food boxes for Thanksgiving
dinners. MI Town’s very
own university is truly ap-
preciated by all of us who
are fortunate enough to be
friends and neighbors.
—
We can all relate to hav-
ing experienced close calls
while driving, especially
this time of year, when day-
light hours are few and
there are many of us hurry-
ing to work or school or on
various errands. Whether
driving, biking or walking
here and there, the odds of
safely arriving at our desti-
nations are increased when
we can see — and be seen
by o t h e r s. Bi k e r s a n d
pedestrians can affix reflec-
tive tape to jackets or back-
packs and use flashlights or
blinkers to be seen. Please
put your phone out of reach
when driving so the temp-
tation to text or talk is di-
minished. Nothing is as im-
portant as your life, or the
lives of others that your de-
cision can impact. Let’s all
do what we can to watch
out for each other.
—
Before we bid adieu to
our Thanksgiving season,
I’d like to thank the staff
and students of MI Town’s
Central High School for the
wonderful luncheon last
Wednesday for seniors in
the community. The weath-
er outside was rainy and
dreary, but darkness was
banished when we were
welcomed to the school by
smiling students who
served us a tasty meal, and
we were entertained by a
Central’s chorus of enthusi-
astic and talented young
students. MI Town’s mer-
chants donated a variety of
great gifts for the drawing
that followed our meal, and
we all enjoyed ever y
minute.
PEDEE NEWS
Christmas lights are com-
ing up in Pedee. Mick and
Debbie Cochrane’s were
first, and really beautify the
neighborhood. They are
adding more, too. Daughter
Paige spent Thanksgiving
with her grandparents, Joe
and Terri Cochrane, in Lin-
coln City, and son Cole
came this way. Debbie’s
parents, Ted and Ethelene
Osgood had the family for
turkey at their house with
Cole and their son Stephen
and his three kids, Bailee,
Bridget, and Nolan, all from
Dallas, and Debbie and
Mick had their own turkey
later. Nolan, 2, spent his
time playing with his
grandfather Osgood and
grandfather’s trains.
—
On Thanksgiving Judy
Guida reported seeing 25
A RLENE
K OVASH
Columnist
turkeys in the pasture
across the road from her
place. Guess they figured
they were safe at this point.
One cougar barely escaped
with his life that day,
though. Dave and Suzanne
Burbank were enjoying
Thanksgiving at their house
with most of the family,
when several deer appeared
in the pasture outside their
window. A few hours later
Dave looked out and no-
ticed a huge cougar sitting
at the edge of the field,
choosing which one he
wanted for dinner. Dave
grabbed a gun, unfortu-
nately not his own, and ran
out to get him, but just
missed and the cougar took
off.
—
Another cougar story. A
friend of my husband Paul’s
was hunting with friends in
central Oregon a few weeks
ago. He was stationed on a
rocky outcrop when he
heard what sounded like a
cone falling. He turned to
look and nothing there. A
few minutes later he heard
another sound and turned
again, but nothing. He then
turned to the other side
again and a cougar was in
mid-flight, coming straight
at him. He rolled off the
rock as the cougar landed
right where he was. He shot
his gun in the roll, and the
cougar took off. That was a
close call!
—
Elk hunting is over and
several guys came home
with one. On the last hunt I
heard about, Morgan Mc-
Beth shot a 6-by-6 bull elk,
he said on “Secret Ridge,”
and Steve Burbank got a
forked horn, I think in
“Somewhere Valley.” They
were reluctant to tell me
just where those “famous
landmarks” are, though.
—
Jennifer Vandenberg,
who now lives in Chehalis,
Wash., was recently fea-
tured in an article in their
local newspaper about one
of the writing events of Na-
tional Novel Writing Month.
Note her name as she will
be a famous writer some-
day.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
These Polk County groups would welcome individuals who have time or expertise to volunteer. Organizations that would
like to be added to this list should call 503-623-2373 or email IOnews@polkio.com.
• AARP Foundation Tax-Aide – 503-930-7636
• After DARC — 503-623-9501
• Arc of Polk County — 541-223-3261
• Central School District — 503-838-0030
• City of Dallas — 503-831-3502
• City of Independence — 503-838-1212
• City of Monmouth — 503-751-0145
• Crime Victims Assistance Program — 503-623-9268
• Dallas Area Chamber of Commerce — 503-623-2564
• Dallas Fire Department — 503-831-3532
• Dallas Food Bank — 503-623-3578
• Dallas kids, Inc. — 503-623-6419
• Dallas Police Department — 503-831-3582
• Dallas Public Library — 503-623-2633
• Dallas Retirement Village — 503-623-5581
• Dallas School District — 503-623-5594
• Delbert Hunter Arboretum — 503-623-7359
• Girl Scouts of Southwest Washington and Oregon
— 503-581-2451
• Ella Curran Food Bank — 503-838-1276
• Falls City Arts Center — 503-559-6291
• Falls City School District — 503-787-3531
• Family Building Blocks – 503-566-2132, ext. 308.
• H-2-O — 503-831-4736
HART (Horses Adaptive Riding and Therapy)
— 971-301-4278
• HandsOn Mid-Willamette Valley — 503-363-1651
• Heron Pointe Assisted Living — 503-838-6850
• Independence Health and Rehabilitation
— 503-838-0001
• Independence Public Library — 503-838-1811
• kings Valley Charter School — 541-929-2134
• Luckiamute Watershed Council — 503-837-0237
• Luckiamute Valley Charter School – 503-623-4837
• Meals on Wheels — 503-838-2084
• Monmouth-Independence Chamber of Commerce
— 503-838-4268
• Monmouth-Independence YMCA — 503-838-4042
• Monmouth Public Library — 503-838-1932
• Northwest Human Services — 503-588-5828
• Oregon Child Development Coalition — 503-838-2745
• OSU Extension Service - Polk County — 503-623-8395
• Perrydale School District — 503-623-2040
• Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of
Polk County Inc. — 503-623-8473
• Polk Community Development Corporation
— 503-831-3173
• Polk County Community Emergency Response Team
— 503-623-9396
• Polk County Museum — 503-623-6251
• Polk County Public Health — 503-623-8175
• Polk County Resource Center — 503-623-8429
• Polk Soil and Water Conservation District — 503-623-9680
• Relief Nursery Classroom — 503-566-2132
• Rickreall Watershed Council — 503-623-9680
• SABLE House — 503-623-6703
• SALT (Senior and law enforcement together)
— 503-851-9366
• Salvation Army — 503-798-4783
• SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) — 503-391-8423
• Salem Health West Valley Hospital — 503-623-8301
• Victim Assistance Program-Polk Co. District Attorney’s
Office 503-623-9268 x1444
• Willamette Valley Hospice — 503-588-3600
Martin Hoekstre,
of Dallas, and Jen-
nifer Villa, of Hebo,
became engaged
Nov. 18, on Jennifer’s
birthday.
They currently re-
side in Grande
Ronde, and plan to
have a long engage-
ment, giving the
bride plenty of time
to plan her dream
wedding.
They enjoy each
other’s company and visits to Hebo together to visit her
mom.
BIRTHS
Caswell
Aidan Edward Caswell was born at 8:14 a.m. on Nov. 11
to Thomas and Kimberly Caswell, of Beaverton, at Good
Samaritan Hospital in Portland.
He weighed 9 pounds, 5 ounces, and was 22.25 inches
long.
He joins Jackson.
Grandparents are Toni Christensen, of Dallas; Tom
Caswell, of Nelson, Calif.; Ed and Jane Gagznos, of Texico,
Ill.
Great-grandparents are Robert Ross, of Paradise, Calif.;
Harry and Shirley Torrey of Chico, Calif.; and Thomas
Caswell of Durham, Calif.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Continued from page 8A
—
TUESDAY, DEC. 6
• Overeaters Anonymous — Noon to 1 p.m., Salem Health
West Valley, 525 SE Washington St., Dallas. Support group
meets in the quiet room/chapel immediately inside the emer-
gency entrance on Clay Street. Dee Ann White, 971-718-6444.
—
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7
• Monmouth Business Association — 7:30 a.m., Polk Coun-
ty Fire District No. 1, 1800 Monmouth St., Independence. A
meeting of business people, the Monmouth-Independence
Chamber of Commerce director, and city officials. 503-751-
0147.
• Indoor Play Park — 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Tuesday
through Friday, First Presbyterian Church, 879 SW Levens St.,
Dallas. Drop-ins welcome. For ages infant through pre-k with
parent. Free, but donations accepted. 503-623-3397.
• Helping Hands Emergency Food Bank — 10 a.m. to noon,
Monmouth Christian Church, 959 Church St. W., Monmouth.
For eligible community members; available every Wednesday.
541-404-6517.
• Senior meals, Dallas — 11:30 a.m. Monday through Friday,
LaCreole Manor, 204 SW Walnut St., Dallas. Free, but $3 dona-
tion suggested. Reservations required. 503-623-6232.
• Senior meals, Monmouth — 11:30 a.m. Monday through
Friday, Monmouth Senior Center, 180 S. Warren St., Monmouth.
Free, but $3 donation suggested. Reservations required. 503-
838-2084.
• Scrabble with Betty — 1 p.m., Independence Public Li-
brary, 175 Monmouth St., Independence. Scrabble games first
Wednesday of every month. Free; refreshments and prizes
available. 503-551-7687 or 503-838-1811.
• Willamette Valley Food Assistance Program Food Bank
— 1:30 to 6:30 p.m., 888 Monmouth Cutoff Road, Building E,
Dallas. Weekly distribution for eligible community members.
503-831-5634.
• Yarning for Others — 3 to 5 p.m., St. Thomas Episcopal
Church, 1486 SW Levens St., Dallas. knitters and crocheters
gather to make clothing and accessories for those in need on
the first Wednesday of every month. 503-689-7222.
• Brew and BS: The New Testament — 7 p.m., St. Thomas
Episcopal Church, 1486 SW Levens St., Dallas. A lecture series
on New Testament figures. Bring brew of choice — coffee, tea,
chai, beer, wine, cider. 435-503-4304.
• Central High School Presents “White Christmas” — 7:00
p.m., CHS Auditorium, 1530 Monmouth St., Independence. Stu-
dent night. $8 general; $3 students. Centralperformingarts.org.
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